Cleaning attachment for photographic flash guns



Ag. 23, 1949. J. J. czARNoTA ,CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC FLASH GUN `Filed Feb. 14, 1946 l INVENTOR. fo/272 J [dba/7202!@ Bx' Patented Aug. 23, 1949 oFFICE poLEANrNGAr'rcHMENrFoR PHoTo- I GRAPH-Ic FLASH GUNS "John J. Czarnota, Oak Park, Ill. Application February 14, 1946, serial No. 647,501?l The present invention relates to a cleaning attachment for aV photographic flash gun, and aims generally to provide an improved cleaning device associated directly with a photographers flash gun for cleaning the electrical contacts of photofiash bulbs and batteries used in the ash gun.

Occasions frequently arise in the field of photography when it is of the utmost importance that the flash gun operate successfully for the taking of a critical orcurcial picture. For example, press photographers are frequently called upon to take the picture of some very prominent person who is reluctant to pose for a photograph, or to take the picture of some `scene of a crime or a serious accident Where there is only one opportunity to get a ash photograph. If the flash gun fails tov operate at this critical timethere may never be a second lopportunity Yfor the photographer to try for another picture'. Most of the ash gun failures arise because o f dirty electrical contacts at the ends of the flash bulbs, vor dirty electrical contacts at the endsnof the flash gun batteries.

My invention aims to eliminate flash gun failures of this type by providing a cleaning attachment for the flash gun which Will enable the end contacts of the flash bulbs and of the batteries to be easily and quickly cleaned before being used in theflash gun. l

My improved cleaningdevice is preferably embodied in the form ofV an attachment which can be readily slipped over the lowerl endvof the battery case of the ash gun, such attachment ernbodying 1an abrasive `cleaning ,material against which the contact end of the flash bulbk'can be Dressed and then rotated or otherwise `manipulated for removing all foreign material from this contact end for assuring electrical continuity of the circuit therethrough. Theend contacts of the batteries can be similarlyv cleaned against such abrasive material. Such an lattachment unit is very simple to manufacture and use, and can be sold at a low cost.` 'My invention also contemplatesY as an additional feature the making of this attachment` in the -form of a resilient rubber sleeve which is capable of a substantial degree of stretch soas to enable the attachment to be slipped over different sizes and shapes of battery cases.

Another feature of the vdevice is that the` abrasive surfaces can be readily renewed after they have ,become worn.

While the attachment feature of my invention is particularly advantageous forenabling the dey vice to be adaptedV to different flash guns, I wish 4 claims. (01.'51-18'75 n to point out that the invention can also be built directly into the dash gun at the time of its manufacture, if desired.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will appear through the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment thereof. In the accompanying drawing illustrating such embodiment:

Figure 1 is the front elevational view of a typical flash gun mounted on the side of a camera, the camera being indicated in dotted lines, my improved cleaning device being mounted over the lower end of the battery case of the flash gun. l

Figure 2 is fragmentaryaxial sectional View through the cleaning device and through the lower portion of the batery case, showing a iiash bulb in the operation of having its `end contact cleaned.

.Figure is a transverse sectional view through the upper portion of the cleaning device.

ligureu 4-is a longitudinal section view through the cleaning device removed from the battery case,rand showing one of the ash batteries in the operation of having its central contact (i. e. its positive or carbon terminal) being cleaned.

Figure Sis a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the battery reversed for the purpose of cleaning its bottom contact at the other end of the battery cell (i. e. its negative or Zinc terminal), and

Figure 6 shows a modified mounting of the abrasive disks in the end of the attachment unit.

`In Figure 1, the flash gun is indicated in its entiretyat IIJ, this unitalso being frequently referred to as a photoflash lamp. The conventionaliiash gun comprises a-battery case I I and a socket, I2, the battery case holding the batteries I3, and thesocket receiving the flash bulbs I4 for successive flashing operations. A curved reiiectorIS is Ausually secured to the upper end of the battery case II by any suitable mounting ferrule or attachmentbracket. The lower end of the battery` case II is usually closed by a removable end cap II'which is removed from the lower end of the battery case whenever it is desired to remove or insert batteries into the case. This end cap I1 has a releasable connection with the en d of the battery case through the medium of a threaded joint, or a bayonet slot connection,` or any other releasable connection that may be desired.V In the sectional view of Y Figure 2, I have shown the end cap I'I as having a reduced skirt portion I8 which is adapted to extcndup into the inside of the battery case Il,

serving to establish electrical circuit contact withV the base end of the lowermost cell I3. y The flash gun Which I have J'u't deserbed be of the hand type adapted to be held the hand, or it may be mounted on the camera and used principally for the taking of open flash pictures, or it may be of the synchronized type having a synchronized connection with the shutter of the camera so that it is adapted to the taking of synchronized flash pictures. This is all vwiel-l known t'o those skilled the art. In Figure i I have shown the ina-sh gun 'lo as being mounted on the side 'of a conventional camera indicated in dotted lines at 25. VSuch mounting 'may be accomplished in any one of numerous ways, such as by providing e.- clamping ringv "2@ 'around the battery ca-'se "of the ila-Sh gun adapted to engage with a mounting bracket 2 on tii'efsicle of the camera. The details "of this invention. `LEiur'zh-meuhting leaves-the lower end of vthe battery caste readily accessible for removi'g the efld 'Cap i1 and lalso for receiving my irli-i proved cleaning attachment. When the flash gun is thus mounted dirctl'y "0n the Camera, it is ifequently provided with a synchronizing atl'kar'zh'-` Iherit for synchronizing the flash of the gun with the vmeeri'ion 0f the Shutter, this being Well known. o

Reilig lO'W tothe detils 0i` im'pived cleaning attachment, 'iiiifcate'd in its entirety 29, is preferably inthe forni of a molded rubber slee e 3u formed with a socket 3l in its upper eri-dV adapted to' have a. snug pus-h Aover the lWi' @riti Of the "Htte/Yy Case and lfi theremove-ble end ea'p or head l1. As show-n the tl ie's'e Sectio-h *Of Figure '3,'Y I CDlteiDte forming the socket el 'with a plurality of angie lfily Sije'd iigitu'ii-hiiy X-ijelilig This' 32 Xe tossing sob'seoou-ouyfroin sop to bottom off the f socket. Theseribs 32 will increase the resiliency or tbe sleeve en vone thereby facilitate getting il; ouv-and oir of different sizes of battery eases, oir said 'ribs may falso be util-ized to elear 'any 1ook in'fg buttons, contact buttons or the like project= ing rom 'the battery case. However, it will be understood that' '1i-bese ribs 132 are not essential 'in improved oor'rstruotion. 'The lower end oi the rubber sleeve '3G is formed with an :inwardly extending 'flange portion :i3 which donnes a lower opening 3i! "of 'somewhat smaller diameter than the diameter oi the 'socket 3 I. y

Extending across tno bottom of the sodket, above tiro flange 'se is the Acleaning material "foi` cleaning the'end co tact's oi the bu`l`b`s 'and batteries. This cleaning material Vvcoinprises 'an assembly of upper jana iow'er abfasvefdisks at and 335', respectively and an inteiwening 'felt washer '36. The abrasive disks are preferably out out of fmory cloth ofrelatively line grit, "albhoogb 'it 'will be evident met sandpaper Jor other abrasive materials maybe r'ei'r'iplfoyed...` "'Iwo for more -oi such e'rneyl'cloth disks 35 i 4 cie upwardly above urefwssirers'ajand two A'or more of 'siren emer'y cloth disks 3x5' Ta'ce downwardly below' the felt washer 3B. The plurality of abrasive disks affords a reserve disk when the outermost disk becomes substantially worn. The assembly of disks and felt washer has a snug press t at the bottom of the socket 3l', against the flange 33, but this assembly can be readily removed out through the top of the socket when it is desired to replace worn abrasive disks. lIf desired, an internal groove mayv be formed in the socket wan', below 'the ends oi trie ribsv` 32, for nrmly receiving the assembly of abrasive disks and felt washer.

P i'gu're' 2. shows the operation of cleaning the e'd 'contact I4a of a typical ash bulb I4. The

:cleaning attachment remains on the end of the battery case Il except during operations of *changing batteries' 'oi' cleaning batteries, and in this normal position of this cleaning attachment sible for cleaning the end contacts Illa of flash bulbs ila Befo're ay flew bulb is 'inserted into the so'ket i? it end o'i'taet 14d 's l'ir'stpressed up agaifs't the botti-i fabrsive disk 35 and the bul-b is then rt'ei'td, shifted 'or otherwise lrhani-omsteu to sermon the end 'oontaob across the surface of 'the abrasive disk; Thus, a clean bright Contact `sur-face is assured. l

Fig-lires' 4 ad 5 illustrate op'atioh's of cleariinfg the end oontacts 13aY Y'and 13b of the ash batteries I3. InV the cleaning of battery contalcts, the cleaning attach-ment 129 a'nd the end cap Il have necessarily been removed to afford access to the batter-"y cese, and accordingly 'the batteries are advantageously cleaned by inserting them down into the vupper socket end 3l of the clea' "ng attachment for cbn'tact with the upper abrasive disks 35. ",I'he "socket 3-'I affords a guide for homing 'the batteries 'substantially al; right angles to the abrasive disksV '35, lvand a sufficient length `of the battery projeetb above th'e upper emi this subset to ensue the batteries to be readily lrottd within the'isocket.- However, battery cleaning operations canralso be preformed against the lower rdisks 35. Figure 4 shows the VYClelfed against th'erlppii" abrasive disks, and 5 vshows the bottom end surface lsb, correspond-mg to the hegatve' or zinc terminal, being cleaned against these abrasive disks. As a Aii'e'sult those cleaning operations, these end donta'cts or terminals of the batteries are given bright-shiny fao'e's foi'as'sfu'ring good electrical contao't therethrough.

In Figure 6 il 'have illustrated a modified form of ieltwf'asherdesi'fg-nated 3B', which is Aformed. with convex upper and lower'surfa'ces. Such conveX curvature, gives a convex curvature to the upper` Yand lower ltdiras'ive disks, which 'may be desirable for concentrating the cleaning action in the centielarea oi lthe bottom contact `surface lbforjbne battery.

It willbe seen from' the foregoing that my improyed eleaninj'g `device fcian bemanufactured and seid at a relatively llow'pric; that'it can b'e easily 'anzi A'quiokry oppiieojto the gun, yons is odoptabie to a considerable ronge of 'sizes "of nosh gurls; t'tzt it is 'always 'present When heeded; and that the b''sive 'iteiia'l 'Gail be aISily epla'ce when worn out. Furthermore, in its 'assembled position on 'the 'base end or the Hash 'gu-n it funet'on's a'Shck zafs'ob!"for'the gun.

While l have illustrated and described what I regar to be preierred 'embodiment of my 1nvehtioi, efthelss it will be understood that such i's r'e'ly exemplary and that numerous modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a cleaning attachment of the class described for a photographic ash lamp, the combination of a rubber sleeve having a circular opening at its upper end adapted to engage with a snug elastic t over the end of the flash lamp and having a circular opening at its lower end substantially in alignment with the circular opening at its upper end, and a disk of abrasive material carried in the lower end of said sleeve `"and externally accessible through said lower opening, and against which abrasive material the contacts of flash bulbs or batteries are adapted to be rubbed for cleaning said contacts preparatory to use in the ash lamp.

2. A cleaning device for cleaning the contacts ci.' flash bulbs and batteries used in a photographic flash lamp comprising a rubber mounting sleeve of substantially cylindrical form constructed with a cylindrical socket in its upper end and a circular opening in its lower end substantially in alignment with said cylindrical socket and including an inwardly extending marginal ange around said lower opening, said cylindrical socket in the upper end of said sleeve being adapted to engage over the base end of the flash lamp, and an abrasive disk mounted in said lower opening against said inwardly extending marginal ange, said abrasive disk being adapted to have the contacts of ash bulbs or batteries rubbed against it for cleaning said contacts preparatory to use in the ash lamp.

3. A cleaning device for cleaning the contacts of ash bulbs and batteries used in a photographic flash lamp comprising a rubber mounting sleeve of substantially cylindrical form defining a substantially cylindrical socket extending entirely through said sleeve from end to end thereof and constructed with an inwardly extending marginal ilange around the lower end of said socket, the upper end of said cylindrical socket adapted to engage with a snug elastic t over the base end of the flash lamp, and a. removable assembly of a yieldable washer and abrasive disks disposed on upper and lower sides of said washer, said removable assembly being disposed in the bottom of said socket against said inwardly extending ange and being removable through the top of said socket, the lower abrasive disk being accessible through the open bottom end of said socket for cleaning contacts while the sleeve is in place on the ash lamp, and the upper abrasive disk being accessible for cleaning contacts through the upper end of said socket when the sleeve is removed from the ash lamp.

4. A cleaning device for a photographic flash lamp comprising a rubber sleeve adapted to engage with a snug push t over the lower end of the ilash lamp, longitudinally extending ribs within said sleeve adapted to engage the ash lamp, a closure member in the lower portion of said sleeve having a convex surface, and an abrasive disk of emery cloth or the like extending over said convex surface to form a convex cleaning surface against which the end contacts of flash bulbs or batteries can be rubbed for cleaning purposes preparatory to being used in said ilash lamp.

JOHN J. CZARNOTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 363,898 Labre May 31, 1887 451,938 Klapperich May 12, 1891 965,444 Dahl July 26, 1910 2,293,660 Nicholas Aug. 18, 1942 2,343,552 Hollister et al. Mar. 7, 1944 

